Riz Ahmed is one of the most talented and versatile actors of his generation. He has starred in critically acclaimed films such as Nightcrawler, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, The Sisters Brothers, Venom, and Sound of Metal, for which he received an Oscar nomination for Best Actor. He has also won an Emmy Award for his role in the HBO miniseries The Night Of, and has released several rap albums under the name Riz MC and as part of the Swet Shop Boys.
But who are the people behind this remarkable artist? What is his family background and how did it shape his identity and career? In this article, we will explore the origins and stories of Riz’s parents, siblings, and relatives, and how they influenced his personal and professional journey.
Riz Ahmed’s Parents: British-Pakistani Immigrants
Ahmed was born on December 1, 1982, in Wembley, a suburb in the London Borough of Brent, to a British-Pakistani family. His parents, who are of Muhajir background, emigrated from Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan, to England in the 1970s.
Muhajirs are Muslims who migrated from various regions of India to Pakistan after the partition of India in 1947, following the end of British colonial rule. The term Muhajir means “migrant” or “refugee” in Arabic, and is derived from the word hijra, which refers to the migration of the Prophet Muhammad and his followers from Mecca to Medina in 622 CE.
Muhajirs faced many challenges and hardships in their new homeland, such as discrimination, violence, and political marginalization. They also had to adapt to a different culture, language, and environment. Despite these difficulties, Muhajirs contributed significantly to the development and progress of Pakistan in various fields, such as education, science, arts, literature, media, and politics.
Riz Ahmed’s father worked as a shipping broker in England, while his mother was a homemaker. They raised their four children, including Riz, in a modest and conservative household. Riz has described his upbringing as “very British in some ways and very Pakistani in others”.
He has also said that his parents were “not particularly religious”, but they instilled in him a sense of “cultural pride” and “social responsibility”. He has credited his parents for supporting his education and career choices, even though they were initially skeptical about his decision to pursue acting.
Ahmed’s Siblings: A Close-Knit Family
Ahmed has three siblings: an older brother, a younger brother, and a younger sister. He has not revealed their names or occupations publicly, but he has shared some details about them in interviews and social media posts.
His older brother is a psychotherapist who works with refugees and asylum seekers in London. He has also collaborated with Riz on some of his rap projects, such as the song “Englistan”, which explores the identity and experiences of British Asians.
His younger brother is a photographer and filmmaker who has directed some of Riz’s music videos, such as “Mogambo” and “The Long Goodbye”. He has also worked on documentaries and short films, such as “Daytimer”, which was nominated for a BAFTA Award in 2015.
His younger sister is a teacher who works with children with special needs. She has also appeared in some of Riz’s rap videos, such as “T5”, which satirizes the racial profiling and harassment that Muslims face at airports.
Riz has expressed his love and admiration for his siblings on several occasions, and has said that they are his “best friends” and his “biggest inspirations”. He has also said that his siblings have helped him cope with the pressures and challenges of fame and success, and have kept him grounded and humble.
Riz Ahmed Family
| Name | Riz Ahmed |
|---|---|
| Born | Rizwan Ahmed (1982-12-01) 1 December 1982 (age 41) London, England |
| Citizenship | United Kingdom Pakistan |
| Alma mater | Christ Church, Oxford ( BA) Central School of Speech and Drama |
| Occupations | Actor rapper |
| Years active | 2006–present |
| Spouse | Fatima Farheen Mirza ( m. 2020) |
| Awards | Academy Award, Primetime Emmy Award, MTV Video Music Award, and more |
| @rizahmed/ | |
| Wikipedia | @Riz_Ahmed |
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A Distinguished Lineage
Ahmed’s family tree is not only rich in diversity, but also in history and achievement. He has traced his ancestry to some prominent figures and events in the Indian subcontinent and beyond. He is married to Fatima Farheen Mirza but the couple has no kids.
One of his ancestors was Shah Muhammad Sulaiman, the first Muslim Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court during British colonial rule in India. He was also a scholar, poet, and reformer who advocated for women’s rights, social justice, and religious harmony. He was the grandfather of Riz Ahmed’s maternal grandmother.
Another ancestor was Sir Shah Nawaz Bhutto, a politician and landowner who served as the Prime Minister of the Junagadh State in India before the partition. He was also the father of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, the founder of the Pakistan People’s Party and the Prime Minister of Pakistan from 1973 to 1977, and the grandfather of Benazir Bhutto, the first female Prime Minister of Pakistan and a global icon of democracy and feminism. He was the great-grandfather of Ahmed’s paternal grandmother.
Riz: A Proud and Complex Identity
Riz has often spoken about his identity and how it has influenced his life and work. He has said that he considers himself “a Londoner, a Brit, a European, a Pakistani, an Englishman, a Muhajir, a Muslim, a son, a brother, a husband, an actor, a rapper, a writer, a producer, and a human being”.
He has also said that he does not see his identity as fixed or singular, but as fluid and multiple. He has said that he embraces the “hyphens” and the “commas” in his identity, and that he celebrates the “contradictions” and the “complexities” in his identity.
He has also said that he uses his art and his voice to express his identity and to challenge the stereotypes and prejudices that he and others like him face in society. He has said that he hopes to inspire and empower people who feel marginalized or misunderstood, and to create a dialogue and a bridge between different cultures and communities.
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